TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[t2so]

I recently heard someone say this: 'If it's meant for you, it won't pass you by' - So if that firm is your future - there's nothing that you could've said or done that would've jeopardised that - Even if you didn't perform at your best, the firm still won't reject you because it was meant for you, so all their assessment criteria/marking criteria or the quality of the other candidates, lined up in YOUR favour, even if it wasn't your best performance.

I hope I'm making sense, but this has been a nice way of not overthinking for me! I hope it helps

Couldn't agree more.

I got rejected after an AC from an MC firm earlier this cycle and was absolutely kicking myself about it, particularly as the feedback was really positive.

Afterwards, I thought about what they said and thought about the firm itself and realised it simply was not a good fit for me as a character. It was also something I remember feeling when talking to GR, the partners, and the trainees.

 

[Bbhu19]

Just did a very last min app to cleary not much hope, but how soon did people get PfO or Watson glasser a?

 

[Laurel Lance - Black Canary]

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether Debevoise or HSF or Gibson Dunn or King & Spalding or W&C are better in international arbitration and also public international law? Thanks! What might be the subtle differences between them in these areas?

Good question, I've researched which firms have strong international arbitration and public international law after being PFOd by half of VC focused firms. IMO, I will see firsthand where the firms have offices in these 5 critical cities for international affairs:

• Washington DC: US Federal Government / ITC investigations / World Bank / IMF

• Brussels: European Commission / Competition & Trade defense.

• Geneva: World Trade Organization (WTO) / WHO / WIPO / ILO / UNHCR, etc

• New York: United Nations Headquarter / UNDP / UNICEF, etc

• London: The Commonwealth Secretariat / Amnesty / Oxfam

Based on the firms you mentioned, only White & Case and King & Spalding are meet the necessary requirements, both firms really focus in trade and energy. What are the rest?

• King & Spalding: Oil, Gas & Construction.
• White & Case: The Defenders of Sovereign States & Mega Infrastructure Projects.
• Akin: The Bridge between Arbitration and Trade Policy.
• Sidley Austin: The Specialist in Life Sciences & WTO Trade.
• Baker McKenzie: The Leader in Post-M&A & Emerging Market Mining

Runner up (4 offices only, no Geneva):

• Orrick: Shut the office in 2025 and currently consolidating
• Winston & Strawn: Shut the office in 2016 and currently fly in and fly out lawyers.
• Clifford Chance: operate from Brussels office
• A&O Shearman: operate through best friend network.
• HSF Kramer: operate from Paris office
• Hogan Lovells, Covington, and Arnold & Porter: Headquartered in DC-London, hiring former politicians from downing street & white house as partners.

Indeed, this awareness is really important especially if you want direct exposure and potential secondment to the offices during your rotational seat in international arbitration and public international law.

I'd encourage not focus on raking like Chambers and 500 as it often reflects the regional insights of the office, not the whole company strategy both long and short term. For instance, Debevoise is known as a white shoe firm, PE heavy in the US, but in the UK is focusing on litigation.

 

[Donna Paulsen]

I recently heard someone say this: 'If it's meant for you, it won't pass you by' - So if that firm is your future - there's nothing that you could've said or done that would've jeopardised that - Even if you didn't perform at your best, the firm still won't reject you because it was meant for you, so all their assessment criteria/marking criteria or the quality of the other candidates, lined up in YOUR favour, even if it wasn't your best performance.

I hope I'm making sense, but this has been a nice way of not overthinking for me! I hope it helps

This!! There's been so many times where I felt like I did everything right and still didn't progress, and on reflection, it's clear it was just not meant for me. I really do feel like what is meant for you will not pass you by and the circumstances will align in your favour. Not to get philosophical but it's a healthy way to view things imo.

 

[Carrington Lane]

I miss the time when I was at school so much. I could go home crying to my parents that I didn't think I did well on the test one day, and get an A the next day. Now, if I feel like I slightly messed up a test or interview, then rest assured it will be a PFO.

The competition is so brutal right now that every mistake feels fatal.

 

[ray0121]

Anyone know what to expect for Gateley Simulate?

Hey did you do it? how did you find it

 

[ray0121]

Gateley Simulate invite, not sure what to expect but would appreciate any advice

Did you manage to do it? how was it, what did they ask?

 

[trainee4u]

Just a heads up for those doing last minute applications, Vantage is being very slow rn… and I feel like it’s going to try pull a midnight stunt

honestly I always feel like it's a cunning stunt.
Preparing my apps for today I noticed a couple had switched from allhires to disad-vantage, and I'm like "what did those marketing mofos tell you about their terrible system to make you switch from a superior one?!"

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

honestly I always feel like it's a cunning stunt.
Preparing my apps for today I noticed a couple had switched from allhires to disad-vantage, and I'm like "what did those marketing mofos tell you about their terrible system to make you switch from a superior one?!"

At least they didn’t switch to CvMail… That one has to be the worst platform out there ngl:

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

No. This is misleading, instead they urged me to apply for the work placement as they're heavily recruit TC from it. They'll get back to you post app in August/September if you apply for TC.

Here's what they said on email last week:

Dear Laurel,

Many thanks for your email and for your continued interest in K&L Gates.

You can apply for either schemes regardless. We would strongly encourage people to apply to the work placement scheme as we heavily recruit from this onto our training contract. Any spaces left after that, we will look at direct training contract applications around August/September.

Many thanks

Felicity Smoak
Former Graduate recruitment team at Queen Consolidated

This is what it says on their website so maybe it’s the case it hasn’t been updated yet but it appears you’d need to submit 2 separate apps:​

 

[M85672]

just working through some GPT slop for an application, jeez once you notice "rule of threes" in the AI's output you can't unnotice it, absolutely bloody everywhere.

Yeah rule of three, negative constructions e.g. "not just x, but y" or "xyz rather than just abc". Also pretty sure everytime I've asked it for something why this firm related, it always starts with. "What draws me to...".

Put these together and you get an archetypal ChatGPT sentence. "What draws me to x firm is its ___, which is not just ___ but also ___.

Lmao

 

[Laurel Lance - Black Canary]

This is what it says on their website so maybe it’s the case it hasn’t been updated yet but it appears you’d need to submit 2 separate apps:​

View attachment 7874

It's because they do allow you to apply both VS and TC in one cycle like Macfarlanes and Morgan Lewis, but they said recruit primarily from VS.

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

quite random but whoever recommended twinkling watermelon you're a star genuinely so happy right now

Idk why but my gut tells me it was defo @jojo23 who mentioned it cos it sounds like something they would recommend people to watch:

 

[anonymous.15]

im so sorry to hear.. can I ask if W&C sent you a PFO or if youre anticipating one?

they did a while ago..

 

[anonymous.15]

K&L Gates app is way too long

for some reason I can't fill the form? where it the process to apply for tc their platform is weird

 

[M85672]

I guess Perkins is a write off then...

 

[anonymous.15]

Simpson thatcher is launching training contracts

One more firm to add to the list next year…

one more PFO TO MY LIST YESS SLAY

 

[Deleted member 43292]

they did a while ago..

is this post VI? Im sorry for your loss- no you know what, im sorry for THEIR loss cos they lost out on a star

 

[anonymous.15]

is this post VI? Im sorry for your loss- no you know what, im sorry for THEIR loss cos they lost out on a star

U R ONE ANGELLL NO POST APP IMAGINE HOW INFURIATING

 

[yuhhhh]

Does anybody know what the general policy is vis-a-vis last minute AC reschedule requests?

Have an AC next Tuesday (the firm has more AC slots weekly till the 24th iirc) but I’ve fallen ill and need some time to recover.